Olivetroad

I will take that as a compliment for him, but around here "Yankee" is not an affectionate term! No offense is intended towards real yankees.

I wish I could clone him.

I told him I was going to put the pics on here - he is going to be really embarassed! One of his grandsons (who doesn't really understand how these things work) gave him those work shoes he is wearing in the photos. All his life he has worn Red Wing work boots or similar - always leather and lace up high - good shoes are one thing he would buy no matter what they cost. He wears the new goofy shoes because he was thankfull for the gift and also too tight to not use them, but I can tell that they just don't suit his notions of proper workin' man dress!

You will miss the lowboy. I sold a nice Rodgers detach and bought a pintle hitch to pull with a dump truck as I thought it would let me get by with one less truck. We found out that we needed then to have another dump truck as one had to be hooked to the trailer all the time and it just never worked as well trying to arrange the truck to pull the trailer and still haul rock.

I ask him that all the time - how is that engine doing? He always says the same thing - Its a runnin' Jesse! (jesse owens) I have been secretly laughing to myself as I watch him discover that the Cummins in that 5 ton just won't get down and lug like the 237 he is used to does! He told me last week that the Mack starts just by looking at the key while the cummins with a preheater and a ether bottle installed on it, still has to crank and crank to fire when cold.

I know better than to mess with a man that lost half his hearing riding in a tank, firing at the chinks till the gun got so hot the shells started to cook off on their own, only to have it blow up underneath him. He started the day shooting a 75MM cannon and ended with only a pistol and his M3grease gun both out of .45 ammo. He said it was like trying to kill all the ants coming of a anthole with just one finger. I know better than to mess with a man that for six months drove to my grandfathers home while he was dieing of spinal cancer, just so he could feed the cows in the yard next to the house so my grandpa could look out the window at them from his bed. I know better than to mess with a man that got to watch his best friend and brother (my dad) die of a heart attack. I know better than to mess with a man that spent the last five years driving his wife, three days a week for 8 hours to dialysis, only to have her die in his arms last year after 50 years of marriage. I know better than to mess with a man that can still shoot the wings off a gnat with a black powder rifle that he handmade himself. He gets a deer and a turkey every year and more importantly has taught anyone that would listen how to safely hunt and respect wildlife. I know better than to mess with a man that has done all this in life and still smiles constantly, is quick with a joke, never knows a stranger, and is always active and a go getter. He learned to drive a 13 speed at age 81 and is ready for whatever new adventure tomorrow brings!

Here are some pictures I took today of my 83 year old Uncle that hauls logs for me with our 1971 DM600. He finally slowed down long enough for me to snap them. It got warm out the other day so he busted out the brush and the VanSickle farm implement paint and touched up the Mack. It would make a body man groan, but its not too bad for a log truck The muffler on the DM had gotten bad and he got tired of waiting for me to get a new one, so he welded a broken disc blade on the bottom Do you notice anything strange about his shirt? One evening a week he does his "darning" - he has not bought new work clothes in years. He keeps the truck clean and swept out - everything has a place and everything in its place - hammer goes under the seat in the "toolbox" DOT stopped him a while back and told him he was supposed to take the truck to a sign company and have vinyl lettering of his name put on the side. He wasn't about to spend money on that, this is what he did: His big project this winter was he went to Indiana and bought a 6 wheel drive 5 ton army truck so we could use it off road like a forwarder to get logs out when it is wet. He got it home, went to Lowe's and bought a paint gun. Then he painted it John Deere Green, International Red and Black. She is quite the painted lady! Tomorrow is its maiden voyage, he is finally letting go of the Mack steering wheel long enought to test drive it to the sawmill and back. I get to follow along in the Mack so I can drag him home if he has trouble. All the relatives are mad at him (and at me for allowing it) for doing so much work at his age. But I think that is what keeps him young. I have to fight with him to be allowed to pay him. I just hope I get around as well as he does when I am 83. This man has not had a loan since 1953 when he came home from driving a tank in Korea and borrowed half the money he needed to buy his farm. He paid it off in 5 years and has never looked back. I feel honored to be around him.

Good photos - makes it fun to do like my little shavers school work - how many different things can you find in the two pictures?

Knock yourself out - just no pic postin' on here of that hairy chest monstrosity

There is your pro-blem-o - his name is Rob

$1800.00 for a Mack wrecker that runs? Little devil on shoulder says: Pull that trigger!

We were robbed over the summer and there is nothing worse. I feel for you - that ex-boss should be de-balled

Looks like fun! Those are clean windows - just wipe off the camera lens a little?

Nice looking truck - what are its spec's - rear ends, engine and trans?

Hey, don't feel bad - keep it up - idiots like me can't help you with your problem, but you are helping me in the edge-U-kay-shun department

It doesnt matter if you don't even have a pulse - you have to find that funny!

I was thinking the same thing - bigen - how about I buy it and you haul it to me for free so you can have the satisfaction of saving one from the crusher?

The problem I have with my plasma torch is cutting rusty or real thick steel like dragline buckets and cast/other metals. I would gladly pay for one of these if it will cut up the pile of crane counterweights I have around back. That link Hatcity posted talks about it punching through concrete - I need to check and see what the consumables cost.

I love finding items listed in the wrong categories - get some good deals that way I think we all know a place you can get a set of new frame rails.........

I remove a lot of digger derrick and bucket truck booms from trucks and I am also always having to cut out worn log loader pins and bushings for repair. A fireman buddy of mine said I need to get a exothermic torch to cut the center of the pins out. How do they work? Anyone out there own one and what brand do you recommend? I have been well experienced with my Arkansas hot wrench and my plasma cutter for years, but I know nothing about one of these.

Were they left or right handed post holes?

My tired ol' DM600 is off working today - my 83 year old uncle is hauling a load of logs. I just after lunch cut another load to length in the yard, ready for him to load when he gets back. I have been trying to get a pic of him driving it, but he won't slow down long enough to get a good one, I'll keep trying. I have to set here in the dern house and enter crap for sale on ebay while he gets to drive the Mack - this is not fair. As far as the long beard, I have never had facial hair in my life. My dad pulled me aside right before I got married and told me if I kept my face shaved and more importantly, bathed every night, I would have more "luck". Does anyone know what he meant? I have been trying to figure it out for years ..........

Did his slide rule fall out of his pocket protector when he fell? I guess you caught him didn't you and give him a kiss? I was at a auction of a factory that closed and I bought a set of those roll around ladders/stairs like at a truck wash - best thing for washing windows. My trouble is they are always held hostage back in one corner of the shop where I can't get them out when needed.

How many of those are owner ordered, and how many are dealer stock? I guess what I am wondering is what percentage have a new job waiting already?

Ha!! That was the first thing I thought - those are some clean windows - do you make house calls?